Keys Forecast: Mahi, Snapper & Tarpon Bite on Fire for June 4th

June 4th in the Florida Keys is shaping up to be another banner day for anglers of all stripes. Sunrise cracked at 6:37 AM and you’ll have till sunset at 8:13 PM to chase your favorite species. Tides ran high early today, cresting around 3:30 to 5:00 AM, and dropped to a morning low near 8 AM, leaving great moving water through the mid-morning hours and making for prime fish activity. The tidal coefficient is hovering in the low 50s, which means a fair amount of current—a sweet spot for both inshore and reef action, but not so strong you’ll get swept off your drift. Weather’s dialed in classic June: expect balmy subtropical temps, a slight breeze out of the southeast, and water temps that’ll have everything from bonefish to blackfin in a feeding mood. The wind’s staying kind, so it’s safe to hit the flats or venture offshore without getting beat up. According to the latest weekly reports, that steady condition is opening up just about every local bite. Offshore, the mahi-mahi run has kicked in with some solid numbers. Early risers trolling small feathers, chuggers, or skirts in blue and yellow just outside the reef line are boating mahi from schoolies up to respectable gaffers. Blackfin tuna are holding around the humps and the edge, and they’re crushing live pilchards or trolling small lures. Out over the wrecks, both mutton and lane snapper are coming over the rail for those dropping dead bait like ballyhoo, squid, or sardines—Big Pine and Marathon wrecks are firing hot this week. If you’re a “hook-and-cook” fan, snapper fishing is as good as it gets lately with multiple boats reporting stacked coolers. Inshore and on the flats, tarpon have been rolling strong, especially at dawn and dusk around the bridges and deeper cuts. Try live crabs or mullet if you want a true silver king tussle. Bonefish are plentiful on the edges of the flats—successful anglers are sight-fishing with shrimp-tipped jigs or classic pink and chartreuse bucktails. Permit numbers have been sparse but can be found tailing when the breeze lays down; stalk ‘em with a well-placed live crab or a silver crab-pattern fly. For those in the backcountry, snook and juvenile tarpon are staging in the mangroves and creeks, eager for soft plastics or topwater plugs. Redfish sightings are on the uptick in their regular haunts—run a gold spoon through potholes for a shot at a slot fish. Best hot spots right now: The patch reefs off Marathon for mixed snapper action, and the flats around Cudjoe Key for bonefish and tarpon. Offshore, head for Marathon Hump and just outside Alligator Reef for your best shot at mahi and blackfin. Top baits and lures: Live pilchards and ballyhoo offshore; shrimp, crabs, and bucktail jigs inshore; don’t sleep on soft plastic paddle tails near the mangroves. Thanks for tuning in to your Florida Keys report! Be sure to subscribe for the latest updates, and tight lines out there. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.